Harry Potter and The Daughter of Voldemort
by Emjay
Summary: It's Harry and Co.'s fifth year at Hogwarts(I know^-^)and there are dangerous secrets being kept, lives lost, and events so horrific they leave the castle in turmoil, and Harry searching for answers.
1. Default Chapter

A/N: Hi there! This is my first HP fic, so please R&R! I won't update until I have at least five reviews!  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own ANY Harry Potter stuff! Don't sue me! The only things that are mine are the new characters and most of the plot.  
  
Harry Potter and The Daughter of Voldemort  
  
Chapter One: Off To the Burrow  
  
  
  
Harry sat sullenly by his window, looking down onto the street of Privet Drive. The pavement was awash with yellow light, shining from the lamp-posts that littered the sidewalk. One flickered, then went out, and Harry sighed, running a finger slowly along the lightning scar on his forehead. Glancing sideways, he read the clock on his desk.  
  
1:05 am  
  
Harry's heart beat a little faster. He had been fiffteen for five minutes. He smiled. This was pretty much how he had spent his last few birthdays. Sitting on his bed, in the dead of night, looking at the clock and realising that he was another year older. Nothing was much different.  
  
Hedwig hooted softly in her cage, as if to say ''Happy Birthday''. Clicking her beak a few times, she lowered her head beneath a wing and fell back into slumber.  
  
'Well.' Harry whispered 'At least she remembered.'  
  
Stepping away from the window, Harry kneeled down and released a floorboard from it's place, groping around in the darkness for his broom. Cold wood brushed Harry's fingertips, and he smiled, pulling it out of the hiding place. Holding it tenderly, as if it might shatter in his grasp, he gazed at it, the name "Firebolt " glinting in the moonlight along the golden handle.  
  
He'd won many a Quidditch match on his faithfull broom, and he treasured it like it was a mountain of Galleons(Which, it pretty much was). It was the best there was, top design in every country.  
  
A sly smile spread across Harry's face.  
  
"It wouldn't hurt." he whispered, looking behind him through the open window and into the sky, dark couds obscuring the moon. "No one will notice if I go high enough."  
  
Drawing back the curtains a little further, Harry climbed onto the sill. His stomach dropped a little at the height he'd only now noticed, and he swayed slightly. Gulping, he mounted the Firebolt and kicked off.  
  
The night's cool, crisp air swept past Harry in a flury of rushing wind, blowing his already unkempt hair. Heart swelling, he fought back the urge to whoop with delight. He could only imagine Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's faces if they were woken in the dead of night to see him soaring through the air on his broom.  
  
In the Dursley household, anything, and everything that had the slightest bit to do with magic, whatever form, was about as welcome as bird droppings. So of course, Harry was constantly trampled on by his Aunt and Uncle, whenever something terrible happened. Somehow, no matter what the situation, the blame always fell on him.  
  
Although, much to Harry's sheer delight, over the past two years, things had begun to change. During his third year at Hogwarts, he had discovered that the escaped murderer Sirus Black was his godfather. But, Harry Ron, Hermione and Headmaster Dumbledore knew very well that he was completely innocent, even if he was still regarded as an escaped criminal in hiding. After meeting Uncle Vernon in the train station, Harry had not skipped the details.  
  
Now, every time (almost) Harry got in trouble or what-not, he could always depend on the fact that both the Dursley's feared him writing to Sirus and telling him that he was being mistreated. They virtually trembled over the thought of Sirus coming to Privet Drive and turning them into frogs (or in Aunt Petunia's mind, killing them on the spot).  
  
Breathing deeply, Harry soared into the clouds and out of sight of prying eyes. If he was spotted by a Muggle(non-Magic people), there would defenitely be trouble.  
  
Diving and turning, swooshing and speeding through the clouds, Harry flew until he thought he would drop. Even Quidditch practice didn't compare. Looking at his watch, Harry gasped. It was almost seven o'clock. "What?!" he shrieked, eyes wide. It had seemed like barely half an hour, and yet it was almost time for him to be waking up. Cursing under his breath for not realising the steady increase in light, Harry gathered his bearings for the quick dive into his window. By now, many inhabitants of Privet Drive would be waking, drawing back their curtains and peering nosily into their neighbors backyards like always ( especially Aunt Petunia ). If he didn't do it quickly, someone would see him.  
  
But that wasn't the worst of it. Diving quickly throught he window and into his small bedroom, wouldn't give him enough time to pull up and slow down. If Harry went too fast, he would crash, and a giant thud coming from Harry's room was exactly something the Dursley's didn't notice. But if he went too slow, he would be spotted most defenitely. The inhabitants of Privet Drive all seemed to have beady eyes, and too much nosy-ness for their own good. If he was spotted, and someone reported it, not only the Muggle news, but the Ministry of Magic would be all over it.  
  
Over the course of Harry's life, he had gotten into many scrapes with the Ministry, and luckily so far, the punishments hadn't been too bad, or he hadn't been punished at all. Getting in trouble again, Harry couldn't depend on Cornelius Fudge-the Head of the Ministry- to get him out of it.  
  
"Geez!" Harry moaned, running over his options quickly "I shouldn't have gone out in the first place! If only I could Apparate..."  
  
But even if he did know how to Apparate, Harry could just imagine Hermione's reaction when he told her( "Harry I don't believe you did something so stupid and risky!.....)  
  
There was no other option but to just dive and get it over with.  
  
Shifting his weight on the Firebolt, he readied himself to go. Biting his lip, Harry tightened his grip, feeling as though his stomach was nothing more than a dark pit, he almost went for it.  
  
But he didn't, as he realised there was another way out.  
  
It was only one week before it was time to go back to Hogwarts. Maybe, he could just get his things from the Dursley's with a Summoning Charm and fly to the Weasley's! Harry knew his friend Ron would be more than happy to accomidate him.  
  
But the dark pit returned. Harry wasn't a full blown wizard yet, he was still underage. Using magic outisde of school as stictly forbidden by the Ministry of Magic.  
  
And yet, was that worse? Being seen on a broomstick would cause much more of a stir, than if someone spotted a wizzing blur out of the corner of their eye. His stuff would go very fast, and hopefully no one would see it properly. Harry would have to take the risk of using magic, there was no other way out.  
  
Luckily, he had his wand with him, stored safely in his jeans pocket. Harry had decided that he would take it everywhere with him now. Like Professor Moody said 'Constant vigilance!'. Drawing it slowly, he said quietly, "Accio school-books!"  
  
Eyes on the thick cloud below him, Harry waited, until all his school books came zooming towards him, bursting into view. Harry caught them, the force almost knocking him off his broom.  
  
After a few minutes of desparately trying to balance all of them on his left arm, he waved his wand again "Accio school bag! "  
  
It came much quicker, but Harry was ready. In one quick motion, he grabbed it in mid flight and tossed the heavy books inside. Swinging it over his shoulder, he said the charm over and over again until, everything he needed was strapped onto the Firebolt and ready to go-Hedwig with much difficulty. It took Harry almost fiffteen minutes to calm her down enough to strap her on too.  
  
With all the extra weight(especially his trunk, even after he bewitched it to be considerably lighter), Harry bobbed and swayed, and he found it very hard to stay in the air. Hopefully, it wouldn't be too hard to fly.  
  
Breathing deeply, Harry kicked the Firebolt into action, skimming over the still heavy black clouds. Above him, the sun beat relentlessly on Harry's back, causing him to sweat a great deal, and he was very tired, after spending almost the whole night flying about.  
  
The trip was exhausting, and by noon, the clouds were almost gone, so Harry had to dawn on his Invisibility Cloak, which added to his swealtering discomfort. Harry was looking forward to a cold glass of pumpkin juice when he reached the Weasley's. Mrs. Weasley loved him like her own son, and fretted whenever he was unhappy. Surely she would be in disaray when she discovered he had flown the whole way.  
  
Peering into the distance, Harry caught sight of a small town, nestled in the shadow of a giant hill a few miles away. Harry groaned with relief, seeing the Weasley's small home beyond the town, closer to the hill. Smoke was rising from the chimney, a good sign they were there.  
  
Harry urged him broom on, wishing it faster.  
  
Finally, he slowed, descending from the sky to a halt outisde their front door.  
  
Harry felt exhausted, as he dropped his stuff at his side. He swayed on his feet for a moment, then collapsed, falling asleep right away.  
  
  
  
*  
  
Harry awoke screaming, clutching his scar, the white hot pain slashing across his forehead relentlessly. Sweat poured down his pale, clammy face as he shook underneath the covers of the spare bed in what he now realised was Ron's room.  
  
Harry's heart sunk.  
  
He couldn't believe it was happening again. The dreams were back after such a peacefull summer.  
  
He had been standing in the room again, listening to Voldemort talking to Wormtail as if he wasn't even there. The giant snake, Nagini as Voldemort called it, continued to sleep, unperterbed by his presence. The Death Eaters were perched around Wormtail and Voldemort, listening intently to their conversation.  
  
They were having the same conversation, about killing him, except Voldemort had a tone of such hatred that Harry felt his own face loose it's colour at his words. The only difference, was that Wormtail kept interupting, squeeking " But my Lordship- don't fret, n-now that you killed the Diggory boy, e-everyone will fear you again-" only to be interupted by Voldemort breaking into even more rage.  
  
It was so strange, to hear them talk without them knowing it. But before Voldemort could say anything of importance, like what his next move was or where he was hiding, Harry woke.  
  
Now he was sitting in Ron's room, the headache slowly fading, hearing what he thought was probably Mrs. Weasley running up the creaking stairway to his aid.  
  
His suspicsions were affirmed, when Mrs. Weasley burst into the room, and embracing him tightly.  
  
"Harry!" she cired "Are you ok?! What happened?!...."  
  
Harry pushed her away.  
  
"I'm fine." he said, trying to sound convincing "It was just a nightmare."  
  
At his last words, Mr.Weasley appeared in the doorway, looking more tired and bedraggled than ever. "Molly." he said firmly, grasping her arm "Let him breathe."  
  
Mrs. Weasley bit her lip, but didn't make any move to embrace him again.  
  
"Do you want some breakfast dear?" she asked quietly, "You had a long trip yesterday. I was so worried when we found you outside. I thought, I thought you had crashed. I was so worried...."  
  
"I am kind of hungry." Harry replied, before she could continue, "Where's Ron?"  
  
Mrs. Weasley looked a little suprised, but then bustled away, leaving Mr. Weasley alone.  
  
"Come on Harry, breakfast is waiting." he said dully, then dissapeared from view, his footsteps creaking down the stairs.  
  
As Harry clammered out of bed, he had the gut wrenching feeling that he shouldn't have come at all.  
  
  
  
TBC..... 


	2. The Daily Prophet

Harry Potter and The Daughter of Voldemort  
  
Chapter Two: The Daily Prophet  
  
  
  
Harry walked slowly down the creaking stairs, hovering before the living room entrance, listening to the Weasley family talking quickly, and in hushed voices, as if they knew he was listening.  
  
"Molly..." Mr.Weasley was saying, his tone strained "We can't tell him.... I know it was more than a nightmare. If he finds out what happened.......I don't know if he could handle it...."  
  
"But Arthur..." Mrs.Weasley interupted, sounding just as strained, "Why wouldn't he know? It would be on the Muggle news wouldn't it...?"  
  
"No mum." it was Fred now, but his voice did not sound jovial as it usually did, "It wasn't on the Muggle news...They're trying to keep this just as quiet as we are. They don't want anyone to panick..."  
  
Harry felt a surge of deja-vu. The conversation sounded quite familliar, as when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had been discussing how they thought Sirus Black had been after him. They obviously were keeping something they didn't want him to know about.  
  
Harry heard someone snort.  
  
"Not panick?" That was defenitely Ron. He could hear the way he sounded almost calm. Ron knew about everything that had happened the year earlier. Harry had told him it all(much to his reluctance) after he had been sent a Howler from Ron demanding that he should know.  
  
"I don't see how the Muggle's aren't panicking. All those people that died...Eventually people are going to find out. It can't be kept a secret forever."  
  
Harry felt his insides shrivel and die.  
  
He couldn't help but realize that the Weasley's were talking about Voldemort, and obviously, something had happened, something they didn't want him to know about.  
  
Feeling as though he didn't want to hear anymore, Harry stepped into the room and coughed casualy. The entire Weasley family-excluding Charlie and Bill- turned to look at him as he walked towards the table and sat down beside Fred. Ron shot him a look across the table as if to say "You heard, didn't you? "  
  
The table was quiet, and the tension was so heavy, Harry could almost feel it press down on his shoulders. Mr.Weasley gave him a smile, but it was hollow and strained. There were large dark rings under his eyes, and his hair was touseled and messy. Percy looked almost the same, even with his obvious effort to appear at least a little presentable.  
  
"So." George finally said, poking at his breakfast, "How's your summer been Harry?"  
  
"Er...good." Harry replied, trying to smile.  
  
George nodded, and once again, the room lapsed into silence.  
  
Harry ate his bacon and eggs greatfully, occasionally glancing at Ron, who in turn, kept glancing back at him. He shifted unconfortably in his seat, as though he wanted to tell him something. Mr. Weasley seemed to notice, and he kept shooting Ron warning looks.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Mrs.Weasley stood, and began to gather the plates, taking out her wand to place them gently in the sink.  
  
"Why don't you boys get dressed." Mrs. Weasley said in a slightly happy tone. "Then you can go out front and do what you like. We just got a Quidditch set Harry." she added, smiling at him warmly. Harry smiled back, then set off up the stairs, with Ron close behind.  
  
"Harry...." he began to say, but was interupted as Mr. Weasley called him back down.  
  
Harry crept down the stairs after Ron, stopping to eavesdrop again. He desparately wanted to know what they were keeping from him.  
  
"Ron, don't tell Harry anything. Anything. I don't want him to know yet. We should wait. Promise me you won't tell him. " Harry heard Ron sigh in exasperation, then mumble "I promise dad."  
  
  
  
*  
  
For the next week, the tension was high, and there was little conversation, for fear of slipping something Harry wasn't supposed to know. It became very frustrating for Harry, constantly coming down from Ron's room to hear whispers at the Weasley table. Something major was happened, and they didn't seem to think he could handle the truth.  
  
On the day before the train ride back to Hogwarts, Mr. Weasley took Harry, Ron, Fred, George and Ginny to Diagon Alley to buy their supplies.  
  
The bustle was even heavier than usual, and it seemed to Harry that everyone was whispering, and pointing at him more than he was used to. He felt like the only one in the world who didn't know what was going on.  
  
They separated in the alley sqaure by Flourish and Blotts, and Harry and Ron, with pockets full of coins, entered, while Fred and George ran up to the Owl Emporium, and Mr. Weasley and Ginny passed into Olivanders( Ginny had broken her wand over the summer).  
  
Harry glanced at his list.  
  
There were only two new books Ron and him would need: Defense Against the Dark Arts Grade 5, by Ghilly Croode and Superior Transfiguration, by Yigga Hornsnoade.  
  
Ron was fidgeting again, as they looked along the shelves stuffed with books and scruffy magazines. He didn't seem to be concentrating on finding the books, and kept wringing an old newspaper in his hands. Finally, when they stopped to look at some rainbow-coloured scrolls of parchment, did Ron finally crack.  
  
"Harry." he said, voice wavering.  
  
Harry turned, meeting Ron's gaze. "What?" he asked, almost feeling the air crackle with tension.  
  
"Harry." Ron said again, this time for confidently "I'm pretty sure you've guessed by now that Mum and Dad are keeping something from you, and well....I thought you should now." he swallowed hard, then continued, "Look at this." Unfolding the newspaper he had been holding, Ron held it up so Harry could see.  
  
It was a Daily Prophet, and on the front page was a horrific picture of a small town, burned to the ground. Harry could hear the crackle of a few tiny fires, and watched as smoke floated across the sky. In big letters, the paper read: ATTACK ON MUGGLE TOWN SENDS MINISTRY INTO PANICK.  
  
Mouth dry, Harry continued to watch the moving picture, until Ron snapped it back. For a moment, there was silence, the shops noises drowned out by the ringing in Harry's ears.  
  
"It was Voldemort, wasn't it?" he finally asked, watching Ron cringe.  
  
"Don't say his name-." Ron hissed, running a hand through his flaming orange hair, "and yes, it was You-Know-Who. Dad told us that the Minsity is in total panick. He says that Cornelius Fudge only now believes what happened last year was You-Know-Who's work, and never comes out of his office. He says that they can hear him mumbling to himself through the door. They think he's gone mad. Dad thinks this attack pushed him over the edge."  
  
Harry swallowed hard, watching Ron shake, he didn't seem to be finished.  
  
"There's more." Ron finally said, tossing the newspaper aside, "People have reported that there's been this cloaked figure going around and harassing muggles and wizards alike, demanding they tell them where.....where....Harry Potter is. Where you are, Harry." Ron seemed to loose all colour in his face, and the freckles stood out starkly on the white palor.  
  
Harry's insides were churning, and he felt as though he was about to part with his breakfast. Words failed him as he tried to respond calmly. Instead he let out a strangled grunt.  
  
Cloaked figures only meant one thing to him: Death Eaters.  
  
"Harry, are you ok?" Ron asked, the colour slowly returning to his face. He looked more regretfull now than scared, and he waved a hand infront of Harry's face, attempting to bring him back to reality.  
  
Blinking a few times, Harry nodded, the nausea passing, replaced by the feeling as if he'd just swallowed a large stone.  
  
"I-I'm fine...." he muttered, trying to unfogg his clouding head. "Let's just get our things...we can talk about this later."  
  
Ron nodded, and they continued to scan the bookshelves, until both volumes were in hand and paid for.  
  
Harry couldn't seem to concentrate on anything for the rest of the day, constantly walking into people and absentmindedly knocking over his pop later while they sat outside Florean Fortesque's Ice-Cream Parlour. Ron was in a sour mood, totaly regretting telling Harry anything about the attack(''Dad's going to kill me!-'').  
  
"Now that I've told you, you're not going to stop thinking about it." he said curtly, giving Harry an annoyed look.  
  
Harry continued to stare off into space, mumbling "Uh..." before loosing himself in the wild colours of a strange bird flying towards them.  
  
It took Harry a few seconds before he realised that the bird had landed, and was pecking his ear furiously.  
  
"Wha-!?" he yelled, falling off his chair in suprise. The bird screeched loudly, bringing the attention of a few bystanders to them, supressing giggles seeing Harry sprawled on the ground, glasses askew.  
  
"What?" he asked, straightening himself out, trying to ignore the howling laughter of Ron beside him.  
  
"You should've seen your face!" he garbled, trying desparately to regain control. Harry frowned at him, then gave all his attention to the brightly coloured fowl. It was brandishing a thick letter, tied loosely around it's thin leg, which was stretched out so it was level with Harry's nose.  
  
He undid the string slowly, taking the letter in hand. Giving him a look of amusement, the bird flew off circling above them for a moment, then streaking away. By then, Ron had stopped laughing, and was now watching wordlessly as Harry unfolded the parchment, and began to read outloud.  
  
Harry ,  
  
It's just me, Snuffles. Thought I 'd send a quick word. Have you seen the Daily Prophet article yet? I hope you have, because I want you to be on guard. With Voldemort already making his presence known, he won't waste any time in getting to you. Make sure, when you reach Hogwarts, to tell Dumbledore that I'll be in the area. I don't like the idea of you sneaking out anymore . I'll be partrolling the grounds at night, so if you decide to go against my suggestion, I'll be waiting to escort you to Snape. I'm sure he'd be more than thrilled to catch you out of your dormitory at night. Promise me you'll be carefull. If you haven't seen the article, I sent a paper with this letter.  
  
Snuffles.  
  
"Oh great." Harry groaned, "Not this again. I don't think I can take another year like third year..."  
  
Ron smiled evily, taking the letter in hand and reading it carefully.  
  
"Well, he didn't say anything about me or Hermione sneaking out. Perhaps we could do all your sneaking for you....Ouch!!"  
  
Harry elbowed him hardly in the chest, then snatched the parchment back.  
  
"I doubt Hermione will be all for it." he said, eyeing Ron.  
  
"Well...well..." the redhead retorted, trying to think of something to say, "Well, what if we really need to sneak out for a very important reason. What about then?"  
  
Ron sat back in his chair, looking very pleased with himself for finding a good retort that he was sure Harry couldn't backfire.  
  
But Harry just smiled, looking over Ron's shoulder.  
  
"I don't know." he said thoughtfully, "Why don't you ask her yourself?"  
  
"Hello Ron." came Hermione's voice from behind him, dangerously slurred.  
  
"Great..."  
  
"What was that?"  
  
Ron turned scarlet, not daring to turn around.  
  
"Hermione, have a seat." Harry said, gesturing towards a place beside him.  
  
"Thank-you Harry. At least someone is glad to see me." she replied sarcasticaly, sitting down.  
  
As she did, Ron looked up from his feet and gasped.  
  
"Hermione?!!" he breathed, eyes wide. Even Harry was a little perplexed.  
  
Her once bushy hair was combed straight, and it shone brilliantly in the afternoon sun, sitting delicately on her shoulders. Two long strands were curled on either side of her thin face, framing her flushed cheeks. She smiled at both of them, revealing a straight toothy grin.  
  
"Do you like it?" she asked hopefully, " I finally got it to straighten out, and I really liked it. It's amazing what can happen when you use the right conditioner."  
  
Harry and Ron sat staring for a moment, before finding words.  
  
"Wow Hermione." Harry said, smiling stupidly. "You look so...so different."  
  
"Beautifull." Ron added, then flushed deeply, suddenly realising what he'd just said. Hermione blushed too, being unable to meet Ron's gaze.  
  
The three lapsed into awed silence, before Fred's bellow echoed over from the alley square.  
  
"Oi!, are you coming or what?!"  
  
"Coming!!" Ron and Harry called in unison, gathering their things.  
  
"Bye Hermione." Ron said, smiling at her. She blushed again, then waved the two away.  
  
"Bye Harry, bye Ron!!" she said loudly after them, waving until they dissapeared into the crowd. 


	3. The Great Feast Disturbance

Harry Potter and The Daughter of Voldemort  
  
Chapter Three: The Great Feast Disturbance  
  
  
  
The wind howled and thrashed wildly as they all packed into two cabs the next morning, relentless rain pounding the windows. Harry shivered, thankfull for the warm wool coat Mrs. Weasley had suplied him with (-''Look at you! You'll catch nmemonia in that!-''). Ron sat beside him in the cramped space, trying desparately to set his wind-blown hair in place.  
  
"Bloody weather..." he muttered, finally giving up, "Why is it always like this?"  
  
Harry shrugged, giving Ginny-who sat beside Ron-a look of amusement. She laughed a little, shifting her gaze outisde.  
  
Fred, George, and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were in th cab ahead of them, as they shambled along the road towards the train station, occasionaly stopping at a red light. Harry could just imagine Mr. Weasley chatting away to Fred and George about the brilliance of the intersection system, with Mrs. Weasley shooting him looks of dissaproval. Mr. Weasley adored anything Muggle-like, and often wondered at the mechanisms they used instead of magic.  
  
Finally, after an hour of squished seating, they reached the station, heaving their trunks out of the cabs, along with Hedwig and Pigwidgeon's cages. The drivers looked much relieved when they drove away, happy to be out of the company of anyone who kept an owl.  
  
The weather was so fierce, the umbrellas were almost of no use, always flying out their hands when they least expected it, so when they reached the shelter of platform 9 and 3/4, everyone was sopping wet and looking quite harassed.  
  
"Good-bye Harry dear." Mrs. Weasley said softly, embracing him in a tight hug. Harry mouthed his thanks, then kissed her lightly on the cheek, which immediately turned scarlet. "Oh, thank-you dear....have a nice year.." she blustered, quickly saying good-bye to Fred and George,(-''Don't get up to any mischief you two. If I hear one word about your antics....'')then Ron and Ginny, before everyone heaved their trunks onto the train, and waved their last good-bye.  
  
Harry and quickly found their own compartment, while Ginny greeted her friends and Fred and George sneaked off with Lee Jordan, mishcievious smiles on their faces.  
  
"I'm hungry." Ron said suddenly, glancing out the window.  
  
"What?" asked Harry, looking up from his Potions homework.  
  
"Hungry."  
  
"Oh, take this" Harry pulled out a chocolate frog from his robes pocket and tossed it onto Ron's lap, who completely ignored it. He continued to stare out the window, at what, Harry didn't know.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
He didn't answer.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
Still no response.  
  
"Ron!!" Harry bellowed, kicking him sharply in the shin.  
  
"Ow!!!" Ron yelled, rubbing it tenderly where a giant bruise was forming, "What was that for you git?!!" Harry didn't answer, and the two continued to glare at eachother until the compartment door slid open.  
  
"Go away Gin-Hermione!"  
  
Smiling warmly, Hermione slid into the compartment and sat down beside Harry, looking quite happy. Ron had a strange look on his face, as though he'd been stupified.  
  
"Hello Hermione." said Harry, returning to his work.  
  
Ron didn't say anything.  
  
There was silence for a moment, before her smile began to fade.  
  
"Well?" she asked impatiently, looking from Ron to Harry.  
  
"Well what?" Harry asked in turn, not looking up.  
  
Hermione looked insulted, "Well aren't you going to ask why I was so happy?"  
  
"Spare us." muttered Ron, he didn't look stupified anymore. The three were silent for a while, before Hermione lept from her seat and opened the compartment door angrily, dissapearing down the hall. Harry got up to close it, but before he could, a pale, clammy hand stopped him, followed the the familliar drawling voice Harry had grown to hate.  
  
"What's happened now Potter?" Malfoy sneered, appearing with Crabbe and Goyle by his side. "Is Granger upset?" The two sniggered stupidly, then fell silent, waiting for Harry's response.  
  
"Go away Malfoy." Harry growled, hand fingering the wand in his pocket.  
  
"Ah ah ah!" Malfoy tutted, taking his own wand in hand, "Wouldn't want to start a rukus with teachers so close by..." he gestured towards a compartment down the hall with a golden plate that read "Professor's Quarters"  
  
Harry bit his lip, fury blazing in his eyes.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle sniggered again, then followed Malfoy as he continued on.  
  
  
  
*  
  
By the time they reached Hogwarts, Hermione still had not returned, but when Pavarti Patil and Lavender Brown passed by, they gave Harry and Ron nasty looks.  
  
"Oh great." muttered Ron, giving an even nastier look right back at them, making Lavender look as though she'd swallowed a slug, "She's got those two on her side now."  
  
Harry laughed softly, gathering his things together as the train began to slow.  
  
When the Hogwarts express finally pulled into Hogsmeade Station, Ginny appeared, tagging along behind Ron and Harry.  
  
"Can I share a carrige with you?" she asked over the howl of wind, as they stepped onto the platform, watching Hagrid coralling the first years down towards the boats for the annual trip accross the lake.  
  
"No." Ron replied almost instantly, looking around for any sign of Hermione,"We've got Neville with us too, as soon as Hermione shows up..."  
  
"Ron!" Ginny interupted, pointing towards a carrige nearby, where Lavender, Pavarti, and sure enough, Hermione were clammouring in. Ron stared for a moment, and Harry was sure he caught a hint of dissapointment in his eyes, but he turned on Ginny all the same and shouted "No!"  
  
Ginny frowned, then kicked him in the shin, exactly where Harry had earlier. "Ow!!" he bellowed, howling with pain.  
  
"Just-because-I'm-only-a-few-months-younger-than-you, -doesn't- mean-you-can-boss-me-around! I'm-fiffteen-too!" With every word she kicked him again, until Ron was sprawled on the ground, clenching his shin. Harry couldn't stop laughing, and Ginny was smiling triumphantly.  
  
"I like the way you work Ginny!" Harry laughed, and she blushed slightly, still smiling.  
  
"Ok ok!" Ron moaned, getting to his feet, "Come on..."  
  
Finding a carrige closest to them, they jumped in, followed by a very disgruntled looking Neville.  
  
"What was that all about?" he asked, glancing from Ron to Ginny.  
  
"She's very insistent," Ron said miserably "On getting her way."  
  
Ginny smiled at Harry, and then at Neville. Harry smiled back, but it took a few moments to convince Neville that she wouldn't hurt him too.  
  
Ginny had changed alot, Harry noticed, from the blushing little girl he had once known, to an outgoing, funny, pretty young woman. Harry blushed a little at that thought. He'd never really considered her more than just ''Ron's little sister'', but now that she was more grown up, she suddenly seemed so much more than that.  
  
Pushing the embarassing thought aside, Harry glanced out the window. The rain had stopped, leaving only the thrashing wind, so he could see clearly through the glass. Skimming the many towers and turrets of Hogwarts, something caught his eye. Harry froze in shock, seeing a cloaked figure, sillouhetted against the wanning moon, standing atop the highest tower. Blinking a few times, he looked again, and the figure was gone. His scar had begun to hurt, making his stomach churn.  
  
"Harry?" Ginny waved a hand infront of his face, "are you ok? You looked as though you'd seen a Grim."  
  
Harry met her concerned gaze, looking into the deep pools of brown, before shaking his head. "I-I'm fine." he muttered, feeling the scar. The pain had dissapeared, along with the figure.  
  
By then, they had reached the looming castle, the carrige lurching to a halt. The four of them climbed out, walking in a group towards the huge oak doors.  
  
Once within the warm confines of the Great Hall, the throng of bustling students parted, moving off to their respected House tables. Harry and Ron found a place at the Gryffindor table, Ginny seating herself down beside Harry.  
  
"I love the Sorting." she whispered in his ear, once the murmur of voices had subsided. A shiver went down Harry's spine, feeling Ginny that close, and he almost kicked himself for letting it show. He smiled awkwardly, and she smiled back, blushing slightly. Everyone watched in earnest as Professor McGonagall placed the old, patched and frayed Sorting Hat on the stool by the teacher's table. The first years looked as scared and green as usual, and Harry remembered with distinct detail that he'd been the exact way.  
  
Hair tied tightly in a bun as usual, Professor McGonagall unrolled a long parchment, barking "Aineer, Jill!" A small, pale girl with stringy blonde hair shuffled foreward, sitting almost mechanicaly on the stool and shoving the sorting hat on, the brim falling to her nose. There was a moment's pause, before the hat shrieked "Ravenclaw!" A giant cheer erupted from the Ravenclaw table, and she shuffled off, plunking down beside Cho Chang who was smiling warmly at her.  
  
"Aggro, Brian!" the next boy who came out of line looked greatly pleased, when the hat announced him Slytherin, so did Malfoy, who was clapping heartily. After "Wroan, Sabion." and "Zhillis, Rebekah." became Gryffindors, Professor McGonagall rolled up the list and sat down at the teacher's table, allowing Dumbledore to speak. The aging wizard stood and stretched his arms out, opening his mouth to begin, but was stopped abruptly as the Great Hall doors burst open, a flury of howling wind and droplets of rain blowing in.  
  
There was a mass of panick, and a few people screamed, but Dumbledore, calm as ever whistled for quiet. There was a rustle of robes as everyone stopped moving. Dumbledore had a strange look on his face, and was staring in the direction of the hall doors, which were now being closed fervently by two large Hufflepuffs.  
  
The entire student body turned to look too, and as Harry did, his stomach dissolved.  
  
There standing on the far side of the hall, was a tall, cloaked figure, standing still, seemingly unperterbed by the hundreds of gazes upon them. A cloaked figure..... Harry knew that could only mean one thing...  
  
Suddenly they moved, gliding across the floor, people franticly moving out of the way, giving them, whoever it was, wide berth. As they reached the teachers table, they drew back their hood, and whatever was left of Harry's stomach dissolved too.  
  
It was a woman, or maybe a girl, a tall girl, with long black hair, tied at the nape of her neck, a few strands falling loose. She had the strangest eyes, which Harry could somehow see from the distance, an awkward mix of green and purple, swirling and changing, never one colour or the other. Although she looked menecing, there was a slight colour in her cheeks, not the stark white like Snape or Malfoy, and it made her look extremely beautifull on Harry's standards.  
  
Gaze scanning the crowd, her strange eyes met Harry's an a sharp pain lanced across his scar, but it was strange too, like everything else. It did hurt, but it was a different kind of pain, like a grief kind of pain. Meeting Harry's gaze, her thin lips twitched, and she looked slightly scared, then turned away, breaking the connection.  
  
Leaning over, she whispered something in Dumbledore's ear, and his eyes lost their shine, the twinkle fading instantly.  
  
"Oh." he said softly, "I see..."  
  
Returning his attention to the aptly attentive school before him, Dumbledore cleared his throat than said loudly, "I fear I cannot say my peace this year, as important matters have just come up. Have your feast, then I ask that the Prefects lead their students immediately to the dormitories. Timetables will be handed out tommorow. Oh, and let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Mordin."  
  
As Dumbledore left, the cloaked girl in his wake, a tall teacher, with short curly hair stood, wearing robes of dark green. He looked incredibly young, probably in his early twenties, and had sharp silver eyes and a warm smile. The hall broke into a wave of cheers and clapping. Everyone seemed to like him, and Harry couldn't help but smile back at the new teacher, pushing thoughts of the strange girl to the back recesses of his mind.  
  
"He looks like the best one yet!" Seamus Finnigan said excitedly as the cheers subsided and food appeared on the golden plates.  
  
Harry nodded, and turned to ask Hermione her opinion, but found himself nose to nose with Ginny. Blushing furiously, Harry mumbled "Oh sorry Ginny..." She in turn went scarlet, shaking her head, waves of copper hair tumbling across her shoulders, "No it's ok..." she mumbled back, starting her food.  
  
Harry breathed in slowly, grabbing his fork, and began shovelling mashed potatoes into his mouth.  
  
Halfway through his roast-beef, Ron elbowed him in the side.  
  
"What do you think that weird girl was all about?" he asked, taking a big gulp of pumpkin juice. "She was wearing Hogwarts robes but she's obviously not in first year..."  
  
"She was wearing Hogwarts robes?" Harry asked back, suddenly loosing his appetite.  
  
"Yeah." Ron replied, looking a little white, "I wonder why she wasn't sorted though. I hope she doesn't come to Gryffindor, probably Slytherin I guess. She gave me this strange sense of unease, even worse than Snape does, and he gives me the willies with that look of his."  
  
Harry snorted, trying to forget about the girl again, but her picture, and those eyes, were as clear as ever.  
  
  
  
*  
  
Later that night, as they climbed the stairs to the Gryffindor dormitory, Harry felt his scar twinge again. It was the same as it had been before, a feeling of utter grief mixed with pain, which could only mean one thing.  
  
The girl was close.  
  
"What?" asked Ron, noticing Harry's frown.  
  
"That girl." Harry replied gloomily, fingering the scar tenderly, the strange pain increasing, "Something's up with her. I don't get it. Whenever she's around, my scar hurts..."  
  
Ron looked as though he was about to pass out.  
  
"Are you serious?!" he hissed, standing on his toes to look ahead of the bustling crowd, anxious to see if she was anywhere nearby.  
  
"Yeah." Harry replied gloomily, looking up from his feet.  
  
The rest of the Gryffindors were suddenly moving really slowly, and murmurs were rustling through the students like a wave. Fred and George, who were ahead of them, kept shooting worried glances back at him and Ron.  
  
Finally, when the Gryffindors began to thin out, Harry stepped forward, and his stomach gave a great leap.  
  
There she was, standing infront of the Fat Lady, who looked quite ruffled and pale in her pink silk dress, holding a small piece of parchment in her thin hand.  
  
"Name." she said softly, her voice like sweet music, not looking up.  
  
Harry swallowed hard, trying to find his voice.  
  
"Harry..Harry Potter." he croaked, feeling quite sick.  
  
Her grip on the parchment tightened, and she looked up, eyes shifting to purple.  
  
"Harry Potter." she said, voice changing to a harder tone. "I've heard alot about you."  
  
"Oh, yeah, right...." Harry muttered, staring at his feet. He had the strangest feeling of her being able to see right through him, something Professer Dumbledore always seemed to do.  
  
"The password." she said, voice changing again, softer this time, "Is 'toad-stool', and by the way, I'm Lillian, the Head Girl." Smiling, she stepped aside, letting Harry move forward.  
  
"Toad-stool." he murmured, not taking his eyes off hers.  
  
The portrait swung forward, and Ron followed him into the Common room, whispering, "Head Girl? Wait till Percy meets her..." 


	4. Suprises

Harry Potter and The Daughter of Voldemort  
  
Chapter Four: Suprises  
  
  
  
The next morning dawned bright and sunny, a strange contrast to the night before. Mist crept across the lawns, sweeping over the Forbidden Forest, creating an eerie peacefulness on the grounds. The lake was as still as stone, not a single ripple breaking the smooth surface.  
  
Having woken earlier than needed, Harry sat by his open window, letting the crisp, chilling air brush his cheeks gently. The sky was just leaving it's magnificant purple, when he heard Ron yawn, and draw pack his four-poster curtains, mumbling a "Mornin' ", before shuffling down the dormitory stairs.  
  
One by one, Dean Thomas, Neville and Seamus left for the Great Hall, leaving Harry by his self. It was quite peacefull, just sitting alone in the silent room, whiling what time he had left in the morning watching the horizon. Despite the happenings of the night before, Harry felt quite calm.  
  
It was finally the delicous smells wafting from the hall below that tempted Harry to pull off his pajama's and dress into his midnight black robes. Stomach grumbling angrily, he stepped lightly down the stone stairs and into the Common room, where only a few third years and a rather green looking first year were still seated on the squashy armchairs by the crackling fire. Without giving them a thought, Harry exited through the portrait hole and ran full tilt towards the Great Hall, hoping that there was still time for a quick meal.  
  
It was indeed begining to empty when he finally entered, there wasn't the usual great roar of talk that he was used to. Hermione and Ron had already left, along with most of the Gryffindors that Harry knew well, but he noticed right away the flaming copper hair that could only belong to one person.  
  
"Hey Ginny." Harry said casually, plunking down beside her and taking a few spoonfulls of poridge from the basin and buttering a piece of toast.  
  
She didn't seem to see him, and she was staring at her timetable in utter confusion.  
  
"I don't get it." she murmured, looking at Harry in a distant kind of way, seconds later realising he was there and blushing a little.  
  
"Don't get what?" Harry asked, peering at the small slip of paper.  
  
"My timetable says that I'm to go with the fifth years to Defense Against the Dark arts first thing, but I'm in fourth year. It doesn't make sense, perhaps there was a mistake because I'm not...."  
  
"Miss Weasley." Professor McGonagall had suddenly appeared behind them holding a large stack of books in her arms, looking quite pleased.  
  
"Yes Professor?" Ginny replied, looking even more confused.  
  
"I'm sure you've noticed by now that your timetable says "Fifth Years", and I wanted to tell you why." McGonagall replied, smiling warmly. Before Ginny could say a word, she launched into an explanation. "Well, seeing as how you got perfect scores on all your exams last year, and how quickly you've advanced, along with your birthday being just before the fifth year acceptance line, we've decided to move you up a year!" She looked quite exstatic, and kept straightening her hat in almost a nervous kind of way.  
  
Ginny stared at her, open mouthed, making little choking noises at the back of her throat. Harry looked the exact same way, breakfast lying forgotten on his golden plate.  
  
"You're not serious?!" Ginny breathed, brushing a stray lock of russet hair behind her ear. Harry didn't say anything.  
  
McGonagall nodded happily, saying, "Make sure you're not late. Class starts in ten minutes. All your books have already been taken care of." then dropped the large volumes and bustled away to tell off a Ravenclaw for playing with his food.  
  
Both Harry and Ginny sat in silence, staring at eachother as if their most precious wish had been granted, happiness glowing on Ginny's cheeks.  
  
Finally, Harry broke out of his stupour and got to his feet, helping Ginny with her things. They were still silent as they hurried along the corridor and into the DADA classroom, where most of the Gryffindors were already seated. Ron was in a heated conversation with Hermione, who seemed to have forgiven them, and neither noticed as they slipped into a seat at the back of the room.  
  
After a few minutes of quick discussion with Ginny about the classes she would take, their new teacher hurried into the room, carrying a few immensely thick books awkwardly to his desk.  
  
The students quieted as he entered, and the room was silent until he finished leaving through the thin pages and picked up the class roster, glancing around and checking off names as if he knew every person in the room.  
  
"Well, looks as though everyone's here." Professor Mordin said delightedly, wiping his sweaty brow. "Oh, and a brief note, a new student has entered our midst. Everyone please welcome Ginny Weasley."  
  
Ron stiffened, and swivelled in his chair to lock gazes with her and Harry, a look of pure shock on his face. Every other Gryffindor looked just as stunned, and Ginny stared at her feet in embarassment, positively glowing scarlet. Hermione grabbed her book and bag, slipping into a spare desk beside them, Ron at her heels.  
  
There was no time for explanations, as Proffesor Mordin introduced himself quickly, and instructed the class to read chapter one in their rather thick textbooks, taking light notes. Instead of flooding Ginny with questions, Ron and Hermione kept shooting glances in their general direction, almost as if they couldn't quite believe that Ginny was now a fifth year like them.  
  
There was quite a loose air of ease and comfort during that period. Professor Mordin was rather homely, and insisted that they call him 'Julian', his first name. Every now and then he would look up from his private work, and ask a few questions of the class, that instantly would turn into a heated debate or casual conversation and ending in laughter as 'Julian' would crack a joke or smart comment.  
  
Harry had never felt so calm during a Defense Against the Dark Arts class since Professor Lupin, and it seemed that Mordin was quickly reaching the spot of Harry's favorite teacher, even on the first day.  
  
Ginny looked quite happy too, and Neville Longbottom, who most often failed to do well in any subject(especially Potions), was having the time of his life, actually answering questions correctly and having a part in the class discussions. It was almost like Mordin knew exactly what they wanted to talk about, and knew exactly what they were thinking, and felt exactly what they were feeling, something Snape, their potions teacher, seemed to do with much more icy maliciousness than Harry liked.  
  
By the end of the lesson, every Gryffindor was bubbling with content, and Harry left the classroom(very reluctantly), with a warm fuzzy feeling in his stomach. Ron and Hermione seemed to have gotten over their immediate shock of Ginny being a fifth year, and now were talking casualy.  
  
Digging into his pocket, Harry retrieved his timetable and glanced at the next class. All the happiness and content drained from him in one violent swoop.  
  
They now had double Potions with Slytherin.  
  
Harry groaned, Ron swore(''Bloody h-" "Ron!"), Hermione sighed, and Ginny blanched.  
  
"Oh well..." Harry sighed darkly, "Come on."  
  
Happiness snuffed, the four crept down towards the damp, chilling dungeons as slowly as possible, but still making sure they were not late. It would not do to loose many points on their first day.  
  
Ginny had regained her colour, freckles sprinkling her nose. Harry subconsciously kept glancing at her, smiling softly, but catching himself before she could notice. There was defenitely something different about her, something Harry couldn't quite place. But whatever it was, it make his stomach twist nervously whenever she looked at him.  
  
They were met with quite a shock however, when as they reached Snape's classroom, it wasn't Slytherin waiting outside, but Ravenclaw.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked curiously, examining her timetable. "It says we're supposed to have Potions with Slytherin. That's quite odd.."  
  
"It says we're supposed to have Potions with Slytherin too." replied a tall Ravenclaw girl who Harry didn't know.  
  
There were a few moments of discussion, before Snape came down the corridor, black cape swirling in his wake. He gave Harry a look of utter most disgust, before sweeping past the students and opening the locked dungeon.  
  
" Come on." he said curtly, gliding over to his desk in the icy room, "We haven't got all day."  
  
The class obeyed without question, everyone finding their seats quickly, fearfull of Snape's menecing glare.  
  
Much to Harry's relief, and Ginny's too, as she heaved a great sigh of relief, the class was nothing more than a theory lesson on a tricky potion they would attempt next class. Snape instructed them to read up on the 'Gorge Potion', that forced whoever drank it to speak the truth of any mischief or trouble-making they had commited in their life.  
  
For the rest of the lesson they scribbled down notes on important steps and points, quietly talking amongst themselves. Snape didn't seem in his snappy mood, and made no comment throughout the entire period, which gave Harry the stomach churning thought that Snape was possibly using his time to think up all the questions he would ask once he got Harry to drink it. Snape always found it amusing to make Harry take whatever potion they had concocted as most often as he could. Harry didn't find it amusing at all.  
  
Once the class was over, Harry slipped out quickly, Ron, Hermione and Ginny at his heels, eager to get away before Snape found something to give him detention for.  
  
  
  
*  
  
By the end of the first day, Harry was already laden with homework, his school bag bursting at the seams, and he greeted the cushy chairs of the Gryffindor Common room with a sigh.  
  
As soon as he had started, feeling quite drained, Ron was already frustrated.  
  
"How could they have given us so much homework on the first day?!" he asked incredulously, snapping his Transfiguration book shut after many attempts on turning his quill into a hairbrush.  
  
Hermione gave him a withering look, a sweet smile gracing her tired features.  
  
"Try to calm down Ron." she said, laughing a little. "You're giving the rest of us headaches from your feeble, consessent whining."  
  
Ron stuck his tongue out at her, opening the thick volume to try again, as the two burst into laughter.  
  
Harry felt better, now that they weren't always at eachother's throats, the way things used to be. It seemed they had reached a unspoken truce, and Harry couldn't think of a time when they'd been better friends. It was much easier to strike up a conversation without Ron and Hermione having a row every other word.  
  
Ginny looked rather deflated beside him, trying hard to finish all the work they were assigned. She kept muttering to herself, and sighing, then would glance at Harry and give him a reassuring smile that didn't convince him one bit.  
  
"Are you ok Ginny?" Harry asked, reaching over to grasp her hand, stopping her frantic scrawl across the parchment.  
  
She breathed in sharply, giving Harry a look as though she might burst into tears at any moment, but nodded all the same. "Yeah, I-I'm fine." her voice dripped with exhaustion, and she removed his hand slightly, colour rising in her cheeks. "Just a little tired...that's all..."  
  
Still Harry wasn't convinced.  
  
"You don't look ok." he said, looking at her Charms homework which was almost finished. "Why don't you take a break? This stuff isn't due till next week. You have plenty of time to finish it." Smiling, Harry motioned towards his chess set sitting on the table oposite. "Come on, let's have a game. Ron tells me you're pretty good."  
  
Ginny flushed, then smiled back, her deep brown eyes shimmering in the firelight, hair shining so many colours Harry couldn't name them all. "Ok." she sighed sweetly, dumping her books back in her bag and following Harry over to the vacant table.  
  
"I have to warn you though" Harry laughed, "I'm not very good. I doubt this will be much of a game on your standards. "  
  
Ginny gave him a sly look.  
  
"Well now." she said thickly, "Looks as thought Mr. Potter isn't all his told to be." Then, after much giggling, they shooks hands and started their game.  
  
As the night drew on, the Common room began to empty, until they were the only ones left, Harry still battling furiously to win. His pieces kept giving him dissaproving looks as he instructed them across the board, muttering "Stupid move..." under their breath, arising fits of laughter from Ginny.  
  
Finally after much struggle, Harry's King was knocked over the head, and dragged off the board by Ginny's rather burly looking Knight.  
  
"Wow." she said, not looking deflated any longer. Rather a happy, content, and quite flushed Ginny sat across from him, smiling softly.  
  
"That was a great game." Harry sighed, wiping his brow, fingers sliding over the lightning scar.  
  
Ginny nodded, and opened her mouth to say something, then closed it, a frown marring her happy features.  
  
"What?" Harry asked tentatively, begining to put the chess board away.  
  
"It's just-well...no..no..I couldn't..."  
  
"What?" Harry urged, seeing how disgruntled she looked.  
  
"Well....I don't know...I mean..I know this is rude..but-but- would it be ok if I saw your scar?" Ginny asked.  
  
Harry was not suprised at all.  
  
There had been many a witch and wizard who had marveled over the lightning cut on his forehead, asking to see it without thought. And yet, here was Ginny, actually the very first person who really considered what Harry would feel like if she queried. She above everyone knew what Voldemort was like, having been used as his disgusting tool three years earlier, and Harry felt like they somehow had an unspoken bond between them after the dangerous encounter.  
  
"Well, ok." Harry replied, pushing back the fringe of black hair that covered the mark.  
  
Ginny looked horrified, and bit her lip, drawing a tentative finger along the lightning scar. Harry shivered, and his stomach summersaulted at her touch. She flinched, drawing her hand away, but Harry's own hand shot out stopping it's retreat. "It's ok." he said softly, "It doesn't bother me."  
  
Ginny looked slightly taken aback, but continued, fingertip ending it's course just above Harry's eye-brow.  
  
"You know." she whispered, looking into his eyes, her own filling with tears, "You are amazing Harry. You've had to go through so much. So much. And yet, you've gone through it all, never wavering, never doubting your purpose. You know that Voldemort is after you, but you don't whimper behind someone else, waiting for them to do your job. You're so brave. I wish I were like you...."  
  
"What?" Harry cut in, gaze locking with hers, "You're brave too Ginny. Don't ever doubt that. You're so much stronger than I am. You almost died in the Chamber of Secrets, but you were strong enough to resist it. I admire you for what you are, not for what you think you aren't."  
  
Ginny blushed, tears sliding down her cheeks.  
  
"You admire me?" she squeeked, sniffing softly.  
  
Harry nodded, smiling reassuringly.  
  
"Of course." he said, "The way you stand up to your brothers. The way you do so well in school. The way you never cease to amaze me. You're my inspiration. Don't ever doubt yourself Ginny, because I don't know what I would do if you changed."  
  
Ginny breathed in sharply, turning scarlet, then leaned forward, embracing Harry in a tight hug.  
  
"Thank-you..." she whispered, slowing her quick breathing, heart beating persistantly against him. Harry's stomach summersaulted again, and he felt himself blush. Things were so much different now. Harry had never imagined that one day he would be alone in the Common room, Ginny Weasley in his arms, pouring out her soul to him as if she'd known him all her life. And stranger yet, Harry felt somehow calmed by it, almost like this was the only way he could see.  
  
Then Ginny pulled away, and the connection was broken.  
  
She smiled at him, hair the colours of copper, russet and gold shimmering in the dimming firelight.  
  
Without a word of parting, she left, her retreating footsteps padding softly up towards the girls dormitory. Harry sighed, then packed away the chess-board, yawning deeply, moving towards the exit of the Common room and up the stairs to the familliar dorm with it's four-poster bed, his scar still tinging where Ginny had touched. 


	5. A Conversation and Confession

Harry Potter and The Daughter of Voldemort  
  
Chapter Five: A Conversation and Confession  
  
  
  
As the days grew into weeks, and weeks into months, the great Christmas feast was fast approaching, and Harry could hardly wait. He always liked Hogwarts during Christmas, especially at the feast, when the Great Hall would be decked out in holy and mistletoe, red draperies, the large Evergreens and light snow that dusted the tables.  
  
Halloween had been quite a fiasco. During the feast Fred and George had stolen a couple of pumpkins and set fire to them, galloping into the Great Hall on horseback, bewitching themselves to look like they had no head, and placing the flaming pumpkins there instead. Later along with Lee Jordan they had stolen Harry's Invisibility Cloak and went about the castle, scaring all the first and second years out of their wits. Harry couldn't wait to see what they had planned for Christmas.  
  
Although he tried, even with everything that was going on in the castle, Harry couldn't quite seem to forget the first night back, with him and Ginny playing chess into the night. It seemed to creep up on him when he least expeted, making a fool of himself whenever Ginny was around, which wasn't pleasant.  
  
Ginny seemed not to be quite affected, instead, going out of her way to be partnered up with Harry for most things, but not going to the extreme of the over-the-top crush she'd had during second year. But there was one thing for sure, everything was different now. They'd reached that unspoken understanding that Ron and Hermione had, they were close friends now, something Harry wasn't sure he could tell Ron about.  
  
Harry knew the Weasley temper to be firery and unexpected and never liked to be on the recieving end. Ron was fiercely protective of Ginny now for some reason, and Harry guessed that he'd caught on a little to their knew found closeness.  
  
One thing that truely bothered him though, was the fact that Lillian had seemed to have dissapeared. Harry rarely saw her in the corridors, but heard often from Fred and George that she was in seventh year, Head Girl, and was quite strange. Very strange.  
  
Fred said she was quiet, and only answered questions when she had to. George said she was pale, tall, thin, and strangely beautifull, with eyes he couldn't describe, and hair blacker than any he'd ever seen. It also disturbed Harry more to hear that both said they swore to have seen a ghostly lightning scar on her forehead, which of course, didn't make any sense.  
  
But when he did see Lillian, his scar twinged, like always, and he felt like bursting into tears. Harry hated it, more than he hated feeling pain.  
  
Waking up early three weeks before Christmas, Harry heard noise coming from the Common room. Peeking through his scarlet bed-curtains, he checked to make sure Ron and the others were still asleep. Hearing loud snores coming from Ron's four-poster, and quieter ones coming from Neville's, Dean's and Seamus', Harry felt it was safe enough to go investigate.  
  
Creeping from beneath his covers, he tip-toed across the cold stone floor, the chill of the morning seeping into his bare skin. The noises were becoming softer, but it still sounded like to people talking, girls most likely. There was a creak as Harry opened the door, and he froze, ears straining for any sound of movement from his fellow Gryffindors. But there was nothing more than that of those conversing below.  
  
Heaving a great sigh of relief, Harry made his way down the dormitory steps, hovering just before the entrance into the Common room. Peering around the corner, Harry almost gave himself away as he gasped loudly. There, sitting in the cushy chairs by the fire, was Ginny and Hermione, talking quickly.  
  
" Are you sure?" Hermione was asking, running a hand through her silky straight brown hair.  
  
"Well...I'm not sure..." Ginny replied. She looked incredibly frightened, white as a sheet. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, eyes red and puffy.  
  
"Ginny, I can't help if you don't tell me what you saw."  
  
"B-But it was so real....I'm so scared...I don't want to tell you because I know you're going to tell Harry...and I don't want him to get scared too. It's so complicated....I" Ginny went no further, breaking down into heaving sobs.  
  
Hermione wrapped a comforting arm around her pale shoulder, whispering comforting words that Harry couldn't hear.  
  
When the tears had finally subsided, Ginny began talking again, a little more controlled than before.  
  
"Well." she sniffed, wiping her eyes with a tissue. "It's been happening since the end of last year. Every so often, I'll have a dream, and it's the same dream every time...."  
  
"What is it about?" Hermione interupted.  
  
Ginny breathed in sharply, looking as if she'd lost her nerve, but after a few moments of tense silence, she continued cautiously. "Well, I'm standing on the lake, strangely enough, and Harry's beside me, holding my hand. It's not night, but it's not day either...sort of a twilight. Everything is silent, nothing is happening, but Harry seems to be waiting for something. Suddenly, this high screeching sound pierces the quiet, and Harry jerks his hand from mine, screaming as he floats away, his back to me. Then he turns, and his scar is bleeding, alot, it's almost covering his face there's so much of it. I cry out to him, struggling to reach his side, but for some reason I can't.  
  
"Finally, as though some hand is guiding him, he reaches the shore and collapses, and suddenly I can move again. I get to his side, and the scar is still bleedng, so I touch it, hoping to help somehow. But the moment my finger brushes the cut, this bright green light erupts, the screeching higher than ever, and a pain so intense I can't describe erupts inside of me. I scream, the horrible feeling as though someone is dragging a knife down my chest intensifying by the second. And then I hear this voice, it says, "You must feel his pain, you must share his grief, you must feel his pain, you must share his grief....." It's like chanting, a woman chanting, then there's another flash of bright green light and the dream ends." Ginny looked as though she wanted to say more, but was already shaking violently, looking so scared and frightened that it tore at Harry's heart to see her like that and not be able to comfort her.  
  
Hermione was looking just as pale and shaken, but with an air of control that helped Harry calm down.  
  
"Is there anything else?" she asked, voice trembling.  
  
Ginny nodded, lip quivering, but did not say a word.  
  
"Honey I can't help if you don't tell me." Hermione urged, though seeming like she didn't want to know anymore than Ginny wanted to tell.  
  
"Hermione." Ginny cried, "I'm s-so frightened, b-because the problem i-is, that I-I know the dream was real."  
  
Harry's stomach summersaulted at her last words, and Hermione squeeked, the air of control disolving.  
  
"How can you be sure?" she asked plantively, looking close to tears too.  
  
"Because, because.....because of this...." Ginny trailed off, and began to unbutton her pajama shirt.  
  
Harry's mouth went dry.  
  
He knew what she was going to show, and didn't want to see it, but he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away.  
  
What happened then, even years in the future, Harry still couldn't figure out why he did what he did next. Ginny finished her small task, and drew the two folds apart, to reveal an ugly, bruised and weeping cut.....in the shape of a lightning bolt. Hemione screamed, staring at the sullen girl with a took of utter most terror, then fainted, her body slumping to the floor with a thud.  
  
Ginny began to sob loudly, her small frame shivering and trembling so much she looked about to topple of the chair.  
  
Harry cried out, streaking from his hiding place, not caring about the consequences. Reaching Ginny's quivering form, he flung his arms around her, embracing her tightly. Ginny froze, though still sobing softly, then eased, leaning against Harry, letting him hold her.  
  
For a moment, they were both still, the entire Common room was silent.  
  
Then Ginny sniffed, prying Harry's arms away and standing, her back to him.  
  
"Ginny I-" Harry tried to say, but she raised her hand, and he had no choice but to stop.  
  
"How much did you see?" she whispered, voice wavering on the verge of more tears.  
  
"Everything." Harry murmured.  
  
Ginny made an incoherent noise, then dropped to her knees, crying as softly as possible. Harry rose, then went to her side, placing a hesitant hand on her shoulder. She jerked away from his touch, and whispered, "I never wanted you to know....I thought that I could smooth it over without you knowing. I thought that the wound would eventually heal....that the dreams would stop. But they didn't, instead getting worse than ever. Sometimes I'd wake up after, my sheets soaked with blood, the wound open again, and I'd cry for hours until it was time for breakfast, all the while trying to make the blood go away.  
  
"It hurt so much, not to be able to tell anyone. Occasionaly, Lavender, or Pavarti would stumble upon me, hearing my crying, and I'd have to put a Memory charm on them. After a while, it began to be too much, so I told Hermione to meet me down here at midnight, three weeks before Christmas. She came, and of course I told her....everything.....but now you know too."  
  
Ginny sniffed, hugging her knees, not continuing.  
  
Harry felt numb, as though everything that was happening wasn't real. His ears were ringing too, and his mouth was dry. He had to say something, to comfort or reassure Ginny that everything would be ok, but he couldn't seem to find any words. She looked so small a fragile, so breakable like a china doll, almost as if he touched her, or said anything, she would shatter into a million pieces.  
  
Harry had known her to be so strong, and yet she couldn't seem to be strong anymore. The scar had been the last straw, the straw that broke the camel's back, and Harry knew that she might never be the same again.  
  
"Gin, it's ok." he ventured, "You know I would've found out anyway....."  
  
"No you wouldn't have!" Ginny shrieked, getting to her feet and turning on him, temper blazing in her normaly soft brown eyes. "I was doing just fine! If I hadn't decided to tell Hermione, none of this would've happened!" More tears were spilling down her flushed cheeks, russet hair in messy shambles. Harry had never seen her so angry.  
  
"Gin, this isn't something you keep to yourself!" Harry answered in an even more hysterical tone, "This is major Dark Magic! If I hadn't found out, who knows what could've happened?! There's no doubt that this is Voldemort's work! He's playing with you again, like during the Chamber of Secrets....."  
  
The blow came hard and fast, Ginny's palm whooshing to meet Harry's cheek in a violent 'smack'. The sound lingered in the silence for a moment, like a bad odour, then disolved, Harry's straggling backwards and crashing into the table behind him.  
  
"How dare you." Ginny hissed as she advanced on his sprawled form, the very air crackling with rage, "How dare you talk about the Chamber of Secrets like it was nothing. You can never know what I went though, never know the pain I suffered. Voldemort almost killed me Harry, and yet, you're ready to dismiss it so easily. How can you say you care for me, for my well being, when you babble on about things you can never truely know?  
  
"Voldemort did things to me that would make your skin crawl Harry, things I have locked deep within myself, underneath the scars that just won't go away, underneath the damage that will haunt me forever never to be told. I had hoped it would be the same with the scar, that it would blow over, and now that you know, everything changes."  
  
The Common room was silent again, and Harry stared at Ginny, emotions welling up inside of him, tears threatening to flow. Harry bit his lip, and got to his feet, mere centimeters from Ginny. His vision began to blur and swirl, the room swaying underneath him. Then, he gave in, collapsing in Ginny's arms, sobbing uncontrolably.  
  
"Ginny, I-I'm so sorry." he cried, entangling his fingers in her smooth copper hair, "I'm so, so sorry. I never meant to upset you like that. I had no idea that you were still sensitive about second year....if I'd known I would've never said anything. But, you mean so much to me, I-I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you. When I saw the scar, that just pushed me over the edge. This is so important, something is going on...and like I said, I don't know what to do now that you've changed. I just want you to be safe, but I need you to help me. I can't do it without you. I wish none of this ever happened.......Oh Ginny.....I-I, I love you."  
  
Harry continued to cry, afraid of how she might react. He couldn't believe he'd said that he loved her. It had sounded so stupid inside his head, but now that he'd said it, it seemed so right. Eventually, after what seemed like an eternity, he stopped crying, and just concentrated on steadying his breathing, trying to calm down. He could feel Ginny's arms wrapped around his trembling body, like a protective shield, but she didn't say anything.  
  
"Ginny?" Harry murmured, resting his head on her shoulder.  
  
He was greeted by silence.  
  
"Gin?"  
  
More silence, the air heavy with tension.  
  
Finally, she whispered, "You love me?" voice dripping with emotion.  
  
"Yes." Harry replied softly, awaiting her response.  
  
It seemed like hours before she said anything, every moment stretching Harry's heart painfully. Oh no... he thought, stomach in a knot, I shouldn't have told her.....  
  
"I love you too"  
  
Harry's vision swam, the room swaying again, darkness creeping in.  
  
He never felt the ground come up to meet him. 


	6. Walking Into A Nightmare

The Fate that Guides Us, The Destiny We Choose  
  
Chapter Six: A Meeting to Remember  
  
  
  
Many were awoken on Christmas Eve, by a sound coming from the Gryffindor Common room not unlike a bomb exploding. Shouts resonated up the stone stairwells and into dormitorys, disturbing those still asleep on the Saturday morning. With so many students grumbling and groaning all at once, it was almost like a giant swarm of bees trying to muffle the even greater noise below them.  
  
"I can't believe you'd say something like that!!" Hermione shouted, anger blazing in her eyes.  
  
Ron snorted, "How many times have I heard that?!" he snapped.  
  
Hermione was bristling.  
  
Ron was redder than his hair from shouting so loud.  
  
Harry just stood there, trying to keep himself from smiling.  
  
Soon enough, they would burn themselves out, just like all the times before. It was no different than the possible thousand other rows they had erupted into over the course of their life at Hogwarts. Harry knew only too well that Ron had said something insensitive again, or perhaps Hermione had gone into another one of her Hogwarts: A History lectures and set Ron off. Whatever the matter was, it would not last long.  
  
Muffling his laughter was even harder when George, followed closely by Fred, came shambling down the stairs on a mission to kill, hair a messy knot on their heads.  
  
"What the bloody hell are you two going on about?!" they shouted in unison, voices dangerously near the edge of hysteria.  
  
The entire Common room went silent, and both Ron and Hermione stopped in mid-shout and gesture, turning to look at the twins in utter amazement.  
  
Cackling laughter erupted throughout, and Harry could hold it in no longer, bursting into side splitting howls, tears streaming down his face. Ron turned scarlet, and Hermione blushed madly. Both turned to look at eachother, and immediately the anger disolved, they too begining to chortle.  
  
After a few minutes of calming appologies and polite gestures, they all collapsed into the cushy chairs placed stratiegicly by the crackling fire. Harry sighed, wriggling his toes near the warm flames.  
  
"What a way to wake up." he said, wiping some grime from his eyes.  
  
Ron and Hermione nodded, smiling at eachother.  
  
"I knew it was going to end, sooner or later." Ron pointed out, trying to sound on top of things. Hermione elbowed him in the side, grinning wickedly. "Right." she said thickly, "You felt a good way to settle things would be to insult me constantly."  
  
Ron shrugged, "Just thought I'd get my head cleared. There's alot more stuff up there than you know Hermione, that I choose to siphon when it builds up, that's all. I didn't want to offend you too much, that would be stupid. I've got my whole life ahead of me. Ending it now would bring to much grief to my poor family."  
  
Harry sighed, and Hermione groaned.  
  
  
  
*  
  
Later on, Harry decided to visit Hagrid down his old shack. He sorely missed the big man, being so wrapped up with classes and homework, activities and more homework, Harry'd only seen him once outside of Care of Magical Creatures, that really counted for anything.  
  
Sirus had kept to his word, and Harry would often see him patroling the grounds, trying hard to keep back a smile when Crookshanks was with him. Whenever he tried to see Hagrid, at anytime whatsoever, Sirus would suddenly be there the moment he stepped onto the grounds, wet muzzle in Harry's hand. Even when he wore the Invisibility Cloak, Sirus would find him, more often than not giving no warning and pouncing when Harry least expected it. There had been only one time he'd actually made it the whole way to Hagrid's hut. But the moment he stepped over the thresh-hold, there Sirus was.  
  
It was begining to get a bit frustrating for Harry. He certainly felt safer with Sirus around, but now it was suffocating, miles past safe. Whenever Harry tried to talk to Hermione about it, she would just say it was for his own good, asking him to say 'Hi' to Sirus for her the next time he was caught. Even Ron was against him, though not as severely.  
  
Rummaging through his trunk, Harry soon felt the almost liquid material of his Invisibility Cloak and the rough parchment of the Maurauder's Map, pulling both out. The sun was already going down, and the air was damp with mist, the grounds covered in a light dusting of snow. Harry hoped that Sirus' sense of smell, or whatever helped find him, would be a little put out in the weather conditions.  
  
Hopefully  
  
The Common room was still quite full when he came down, and Harry had a little difficulty spotting Hermione or Ron. Soon enough, he saw them, sitting together by the fire in casual conversation, books and parchment layed out on the table. They seemed to be ignoring the work, aptly talking about what, Harry didn't know. He continued to stare for a moment, making sure they wouldn't notice him slip out, when Ron suddenly reached out and brushed a stray lock of Hermione's hair behind her ear. Hermione blushed softly, then leaned against Ron, resting her head on his shoulder.  
  
Harry smiled as he exited through the portrait hole, muttering, "It's about time."  
  
By then, the sun had completely set, and the castle was bathed in an eerie darkness, moon shining through windows that lined the corridors. Harry slipped the cloak over his head, and retrieved the Map. Most of the teachers were in their lounge, and Filch was down by Slytherin's Dormitory, Mrs. Norris by his side. There was only one person wandering the halls, and even looking at the map made his scar twinge.  
  
It was Lillian.  
  
"Great." Harry whispered sarcasticly, his voice sounding too loud as he stealthily crept along the corridor. Ears straining for any sound, Harry finally made it to the Entrance Hall after what seemed like aeons. He almost breathed a sigh of relief, but stopped himself just in time when he heard footsteps behind him. Harry froze, glancing at the map. The name: Ginny/Harry Weasley was printed neatly on the parchment.  
  
What? he thought, feeling very confused, Ginny/Harry Weasley? How is that possible.....? Harry breathed in sharply. The scar. There was no other explanation. He'd almost forgotten about it, and suddenly remembering brought back a wave of emotions. But how could he forget it? Ginny had barely been herself since that night, going to and fro from classes looking like a ghostly wraith, a shadow of what she was. How could he forget with Ginny there, like a stark reminder of everything that had happened, and everything that would happen? Even on the map, her name wasn't solid, wavering and misty, swirling and uneaven. It was so plain and obvious, and yet he had forgotten.  
  
"Harry?" Ginny's voice cut through the silence like rattling chains, voice shaking and trembling.  
  
Harry turned, and he felt a huge lump form in his throat. There she was, even paler in the milky moonlight, small and skinny, large rings around her eyes that were red and puffy, as though she'd been crying. She looked so weak and frail, tired and frightened. There was no shine in her normaly glittering hair, no gold, russet, copper, it was like she was dead, even her eyes had lost their radiance.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"I'm here." Harry drew back the Invisibility Cloak, letting Ginny see him. She looked startled for a second, then eased, though not seeming calm at all.  
  
"Gin, are you ok?" Harry asked, taking a step toward her. Ginny flinched, and stepped back, trembling more violently than ever. She didn't answer his question, continuing to stare as though he'd grown two heads. Her breathing was short was forced, rattling in her chest as she inhaled and exhaled.  
  
"Gin?"  
  
Lip trembling, she took a step forward, then another, then two more, finally collapsing in Harry's embrace. She stopped shaking, lying still for a moment, then whispered, "I need your help. Please help me."  
  
Tears began to well in Harry's eyes as he held her, and he nodded, not trusting his voice to remain steady. This terrible thing that only Voldemort could've done to her, made him want to cry out in rage, cry out in sorrow, and cry out in pity. Ginny didn't deserve this. No one did. She had suffered so much because of him, and now even more than ever. Voldemort was playing with her, toying with her emotions, and using her to get to Harry. That was even more unforgivable than all three Unforgivable Curses used as one. Harry couldn't stand by and watch his friends, and loved ones suffer. He had to do something.  
  
"Come on Ginny." he whispered, stroking her head, "We've got to tell Dumbledore."  
  
At his words, Ginny lept away from him, eyes wide with terror. "No!" she whispered franticly, tears streaming down her pale, ghostly cheeks, "No. Please Harry no!"  
  
"Gin, we have to. I won't stand by and watch you suffer anymore. I have to do something. You mean too much to me. I can't loose you..."  
  
Harry cut off abruptly, his blood running cold, a tight hand on his shoulder. The familliar ache in his scar told him it could be only one person.  
  
"Harry Potter." Lillian said from behind him, grip tightening.  
  
Ginny was whimpering madly, clutching at her chest, gaze darting back and forth like a frightened deer.  
  
Harry gave her a pleading look, then turned to look at Lillian.  
  
This time, he couldn't stop himself from crying out. There she stood, acutely taller than he was, with the strange eyes that were in a mould between green and purple. There were dark rings underneath them, and she looked even paler than usual. The beauty was gone from her normally bright and distinct features, replaced by a mask that was only too familiar. Lillian looked even worse than Ginny did, the front of her robes soaked with blood.  
  
She sighed in the strange rattling way like Ginny, and looked at Harry as though she might burst into tears at any moment.  
  
"Harry, Professor Dumbledore wishes to see you." She gave Ginny a searching look, then continued, "You'd better come too Ms. Weasley."  
  
Motioning them to follow, Lillian led the way to the far reaches of the castle where Dumbledore's quarters were placed. Harry held Ginny's hand tightly, who's spare was clutching her chest protectively like before. The corridors were so quiet and still, Lillian made barely any noise, and it was almost as if the very air itself gave her wide berth.  
  
They stopped infront of the large stone gargoyle, and Lillian muttered "Peppermint patty." the statue jumping aside immediately and letting them through.  
  
Harry had been to Dumbledore's office more than enough times to feel at least a little calm, but right then, Harry felt quite sick indeed, not calm at all. Ginny had stopped whining, although her trembling hand still roved over the place where Harry knew the scar must be.  
  
Without a word, Lillian threw the doors open and ushered them in.  
  
Harry knew Dumbledore's office quite well, with all it's spinning and whirring contraptions, bright colours and portraits of old Headmasters that covered the walls, inhabitants snoozing like always. This time however, the room was dark, every contraption halted, picture's awake and alert, even Fawkes, Dumbledore's pet Pheonix looked quite despairing.  
  
Dumbledore himself was seated behind his desk, writing quickly on a piece of parchment. He didn't look up when they entered, just waved his wand instead, a few chairs appearing before them.  
  
"Sit down." He murmured, and Harry sat, pulling Ginny down with him who seemed to have frozen. She was biting her lip nervously, a strange wildness in her eyes. Lillian did not sit, walking to the far end of the room and dissapearing like a ghost through the wall.  
  
Harry stared for a second, until Dumbledore said, "Mystry Wall. Quite usefull at times." jerking him to attention.  
  
Dumbledore looked quite serious, tapping a finger on his desk.  
  
"Harry." he said sternly, "I'm sure you've noticed by now young Lillian's strange presence in the castle. I didn't want to tell you the reason she was here from the very begining. I felt maybe you weren't quite ready for the truth. But now," he looked at Ginny, "considering some recent events I have no choice but to show and tell."  
  
Dumbledore rose, and opened a glass case behind his desk, retrieving a large silver basin that looked remotely empty. Of course, Harry had seen this before, it was the Pensieve. Only a year earlier, he had witnessed the case of Mr. Crouch's son, Mr. Bagman, and a series of others in the Pensieve. It was quite an amazing object, allowing whoever possessed it to empty their thoughts and memories into it, preserving them forever. Whatever Dumbledore wanted to show Harry, it was obviously very important.  
  
"There is something that Lillian, and your mother emptied in here that you need to know Harry. " Dumbledore murmured, placing the Pensieve in Harry's hands.  
  
Ginny had stopped whimpering, giving Harry a look he'd never seen before. It was fear, mixed with anxiety, sorrow and so many other emotions that it made him dizzy to think about.  
  
"Once you're done Harry, you must understand that everything in there is true to the essence, no matter how much you don't want to believe it's true. You have to promise me that you'll except what you see, because you must know this for your own safety."  
  
Harry felt numb again, and the room was spinning. He blinked a few times, and his vision cleared, allowing him to see Ginny beside him looking the calmest he'd seen her in ages. She seemed very excepting of what Dumbledore had to say, whispering, "Can I see too Professor?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded, and she drew out her wand, motioning Harry to do so too. When both of them were ready, they dipped the tip of their wands into the basin, making the now clear liquid spin and swirl, like white smoke.  
  
Harry sighed, then muttered, "Let's go."  
  
The last thing he remembered before diving into the mist was seeing Lillian enter the room again, some papers in her hands, then everything went black.  
  
  
  
*  
  
When Harry opened his eyes, he was standing in the Great Hall, with Ginny beside him. There were two other figures there too, sitting quite close by, both of which Harry recognised instantly. Lilly and Voldemort, or Tom Riddle were seated at the Gryffindor table talking quickly. Lilly looked distressed, Tom looked murderous. Both looked much different then he knew. Lilly looked younger, and Tom didn't have the snake like features that were burned into Harry's memory. He looked much different, almost like Harry himself, with messy black hair, gangly, long limbed. But his eyes held no warmth, instead an icy coldness just as strange as the purple colour.  
  
Harry motioned Ginny to move closer, to hear what they were saying.  
  
"Come on Lilly." Tom urged, taking her hand.  
  
Lilly flinched at his touch, moving away.  
  
"Shut up Tom." she said curtly, trying to stand, but the boy grabbed her wrist, halting her retreat.  
  
Lilly struggled in his grasp, but he would not let go, a sly smile playing on his thin pressed lips.  
  
"Did you think you could just leave when you wanted?" he hissed, strange purple eyes glinting with malice. "You will leave when I say so."  
  
Lilly looked on the verge of tears, trying madly to wrench herself away from him. Tom's smile widened, revealing a neat set of pearly white teeth. He moved closer to her, breath hot on her neck.  
  
"Let's have a little fun." he whispered in her ear, making tears run down Lilly's cheeks. Tom drew a wand from his robes pocket, and said "Imperio!"  
  
Harry shouted in rage, running forward, reaching out to wrench the wand out of Tom's hand. Ginny screamed at him to stop, though he wasn't listening. To his dismay, the moment he got there, the scene disolved, and he suddenly heard Dumbledore's voice, "You cannot do anything Harry. We are far from finished. You must except things for the way they are.."  
  
There was darkness for a moment, before the void was replaced by a small room. Harry's nostrils pricked, the smell of sweat evident almost immediately. The air was damp and slightly hot, and sounds and movement came from a corner not far away.  
  
Groans of pleasure and cries of grief pierced the tense silence, followed by unclear murmurs in a man's tone. Harry moved forward to get a better look, and felt his throat clench and stomach disolve. He wrenched his gaze away, trying so hard to block out the sounds and smells. This can't be happening...this can't be happening... "Oh God." Ginny's disgusted voice resonated behind him, and bile began to rise in the back of Harry's throat. His stomach seemed to have returned, which was now churning and swirling horribly. "Oh God."  
  
Dumbledore's voice began talking again, "This happened the night before your mother finished her Seventh year." he said, "You must understand Harry, that she was under the Imperious Curse, and none of this happened out of her own free will. "  
  
Even with the Headmaster's reassuring words, Harry felt the sick churning and the rage surging through his veins, more relentless than ever. He knew that Voldemort had been an evil person, but seeing him use his mother like that was beyond evil, and Harry fought back the tidal wave of curses and spells he wanted to throw at him, anything to make him stop. But he continued, and the scene did not disolve into nothingness. At one point, Ginny had to hold Harry, while he cried and shook, waiting for it to end.  
  
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the movement ceased, and Tom rose on his haunches, smiling evilly down at Lilly.  
  
"That was fun." he murmured coldly, taking her chin in his hand and raising it to his level, her naked body shimmering in the candlelight. Harry looked away, but Tom's voice still hissed in the silence, "We should do it again sometime.."then tossed Lilly aside and began to dress, throwing on a black robe emblazoned with the Slytherin seal. He sauntered away from Lilly, and Harry ran to her side, hand passing through her cheek when he tried to wipe the tears away. She was shaking, eyes wide with terror, muttering "Stop, please stop, please stop, please stop....." like someone out of their minds. Her eyes were strangely glazed, skin clammy and white.  
  
"Oh yeah." Tom still seemed to be in the room, and sauntered back over, waving his wand over her. He smiled again as she snapped out of her trance and screamed hoaresly when she saw him, curling into a ball and trembling violently.  
  
"You will tell no one.! Do you hear me? No one!"  
  
Harry closed his eyes, biting his lip so hard in the urge not to scream too a trickle of blood ran down his chin.  
  
Then the scene began to fade again, and Harry felt Ginny's comforting hand on his shoulder. He breathed in sharply, then began to cry again, darkness enveloping him like a shroud. 


	7. Walking Into A Nightmare Part:2

The Fate That Guides Us, The Destiny We Choose  
  
Chapter Seven: A Meeting to Remember(cont.)  
  
  
  
Once again, a new scene materialized infront of Harry, Ginny by his side. Harry was breathing heavily, and was trembling slightly, a few silent tears rolling down his cheek. His head was throbbing and spinning wildly, thoughts bombarded by everything he'd seen. Ginny put a steadying hand in his, and he felt a little better. Still, the room kept swaying uneasily, and he had trouble focusing.  
  
They were now in a more recognisable place, a hospital actually, the bright lights shining of the white-washed walls and clean floor. It hurt Harry's eyes a little to stare at something for a long time, and kept glancing about, trying to get his bearings. The hall they were standing in was eerily quiet, every so often a magnified voice piercing the silence to call a doctor somewhere. No one was around, and the many doors that lined the walls were all closed.  
  
"I wonder what we're supposed to do." Ginny whispered. She knew no one could've heard her if she'd screamed, but felt a certain need to be quiet.  
  
"I don't know." Harry replied, feeling somehow calmed by the silence.  
  
They just stood for a while, waiting for something to happen. It was quite some time though, before two nurses suddenly appeared around a corner talking quickly.  
  
"Is it true?" one was asking, looking very upset.  
  
The other nodded, "Yes. Poor woman. I can' believe something like this happened to 'er. She seemed so nice, I can' see why the father wouldn't wan' 'er."  
  
The first snorted, "Hmph, there are some real wackos out there, and some real cold hearted jerks too. Anything could've happened to her. It probably wasn't her decision. Was just walking down the street two late at night, and he probably jumped her...."  
  
Both voices faded away as they turned the corner, then suddenly was loud again, the nurses halting.  
  
"Well, 'er daughter 'tis another story. Those strange eyes. I've never seen anything like 'em before. Green and purple! That's impossible. No 'un has purple eyes. I can see where she got the green from though, from 'er mother. But everything else must've been that good fer nothing father. Black 'air, pale skin. Th' mother don' 'ave anythin' like that."  
  
Harry swallowed hard.  
  
They were talking about Lillian.  
  
"Well, we might as well go check on her. What's her name again?"  
  
"Lilly Evans. Actually, she told me she's gettin' married to a fine young man. James Potter, it was."  
  
Ginny gasped, her grip tightening around his hand so much it hurt.  
  
"Harry." she whispered franticly, "Your mum.....they're talking about her aren't they? B-but she doesn't have a daughter....u- unless.....no!"  
  
Suddenly, everything clicked.  
  
Harry jerked Ginny forward, streaking around the corner and after the nurses, who were just entering a room on the left.  
  
"Come on!" he urged. His head was spinning more wildly than ever, the ground swaying under his feet.  
  
This can't be happening.....This can't be happening.......This can't be happening!  
  
Finally, they reached the room, crashing through the door and skidding to a halt.  
  
It was Ginny who stopped him from passing out.  
  
There in a bed, that was placed in the very center of the room, lay Lilly, out like a light, a small bundle in the crook of her bony arm. She looked unhealthily thin , cheek bones standing out on her pale skin. Her fingers, that gripped the bundle in a death hold, were knobly and skeletal, her once bright copper hair lying in dull shambles around her face. She was sweating, breathing quick and uneaven, the air rattling in her chest.  
  
Even after Ginny slapped him to life, cheek throbbing gently, he had a hard time digesting the scene before him.  
  
Seeing his mother on the brink of death, the child, Lillian, who almost killed her held tightly in her embrace was too much. Everything suddenly made sense, but Harry didn't want to believe it. She could've died right then and there, not ever giving birth to him, never giving him life, but she hadn't. She had lived, lived past the scars that Voldemort had beat into her, lived past the pain to marry James Potter and become alive again, lived to see her second child, her son before Voldemort had come again, and taken their lives so ruthlessly, without rhyme or reason.......  
  
"But there was a reason, Harry."  
  
Dumbledore's voice ehoced throughout the room, startling him slightly, but it was the Headmaster's words that unseated him.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Harry demanded, trying to control himself.  
  
"There was a reason why Voldemort came for your mother."  
  
"You're lying!"  
  
"No I'm not Harry." Dumbledore insisted, voice calm and steady. "But you will see soon enough. We are almost finished...."  
  
Once again, the scene shifted, rougher than before. It was so sudden, Harry was knocked off his feet, tumbling to the ground. Though instead of the cold hard floor, a carpeted surface broke his fall.  
  
Almost immediately he heard voices, both he recognized with a sick jolt. Ginny helped him to his feet, and led him through a door and up a flight of stairs, along a hall and into a room on the right. Inside, James and Lilly were laughing and talking happily, the air filled with so much content Harry could feel it press down on his shoulders. They were playing with him, when he was still a baby. Lilly's eyes were shimmering as she held him, James' arm around her shoulder. He looked so proud, gazing down on his son.  
  
"If only..if only Lillian could see her brother." Lilly whispered, tears suddenly brimming in her emerald eyes, "I know she would love him."  
  
James nodded soelemly, biting his lip.  
  
"You know." he murmured, stroking a strand of copper hair out of Lilly's face, "It's not too late to take her back. I mean, she is your daughter, no matter what happened to bring her into being."  
  
Anger was suddenly blazing in his eyes, and his grip was tightening on his wife's shoulder.  
  
"James" Lily warned, prying his hand away.  
  
He had barely time to reply, before a large sound, like a door being blown off it's hinges resonated from below.  
  
Lily's face drained of colour, and she held young Harry even tighter.  
  
"James...it's him! It's him....I knew he would come....He told me not to tell anyone about Lillian! But I told you...and now and now......"  
  
James gripped her trembling shoulders, gaze locked with her. "Lily! You have to go! Take Harry! I'll hold him off....."  
  
Lily screamed, pointing at the door.  
  
Harry and James whirled, though the reactions couldn't have been more different.  
  
James looked terrified, and Harry looked murderous.  
  
Voldemort drew back his hood though, and Harry suddenly lost his gusto, scar burning with pain. He cried out, falling to his knees, Ginny catching him. She was clutching her own scar though, and couldn't get a hold of him properly. He watched helplessly as Voldemort advanced on his parents, tears of pain and grief washing down his cheeks.  
  
"I warned you." he growled, snake-like eyes glinting with fury. "I warned you whore. But you couldn't keep your dirty mouth shut."  
  
He drew something, something big from the confines of his robes and tossed it at Lily's feet. Harry noticed, with a great lurch from his uneasy stomach, that it was a small girl, crying loudly, with jet black hair and pale skin.  
  
It was Lillian.  
  
Lily gasped, and James cried out.  
  
Voldemort smiled, "Take your child. You might aswell be with family when you die. It will be quick, I promise you. Quick and easy, just like those two Muggle fools died, who tried to stand up for their stupid daughter. The stupid daughter, with my power, and with your weak heart."  
  
He drew his wand, pointing it at Lily. "You will die for your insolence. Die for your idiocy, the idiocy that made you think you were safe. No one is safe from me, I tell you. "  
  
James drew his wand too. "You cannot have her. You will have to get by me before you can have her. "  
  
Voldemort just smiled even wider. "Petty threats will get you nowhere Potter. Stand aside. I will enjoy killing her, though not as much as I enjoyed bringing her to bed."  
  
James was shaking with fury now, but his wand hand was firm. Harry knew what was going to happen. He would try to kill Voldemort, but would die before he could. Then he would kill Lily, and then Harry. It was all as he remembered. But what about Lillian? Having her in the story would make things different.  
  
Suddenly, before Harry could think anymore, the icy words, "Avada Kadavra! " reached his ears, followed by the bright green light that flashed across his vision. Lily screamed as James dropped to the ground, eyes wide with terror, his mouth forever frozen in the words of a curse that wouldn't have saved him. Lily screamed again, down on her knees, begging for Voldemort to take her instead of Harry.  
  
"Do not worry." Voldemort hissed in response, advancing slowly. "You is all I want, though both your dirty children will die soon enough. Avada Kedavra! "  
  
Another flash of green light, and Lily was lying beside her husband, eyes closed.  
  
Lillian was crying madly, young Harry kicking and screaming beside her.  
  
"And now you." Voldemort whispered, voice thick with malice.  
  
He pointed his wand at both of them, hoping to take two lives with one curse.  
  
"You have been nothing but a bother young Lillian Potter, or your rightfull name, Lillian Riddle as your mother so quickly refused to call you. You will die with your brother, as you rightfully should. Avada Kedavra!! Avada Kedavra!!" Both curses went out at once, and both curses hit at the same time.  
  
Harry watched in awe, as they failed to work, instead the green light dancing along their foreheads, creating the lightning scars they both held, then rebounded, hitting Voldemort with an earsplitting explosion.  
  
"Nooooooo!!!!......." Voldemort's high screeching voice pierced through the sound, getting higher and higher by the second. Harry held Ginny's body tightly, as the room rocked and shook.  
  
Then everything went black, and both were pitched from the Pensieve, landing in a sprawled tangle in Dumbledore's office.  
  
  
  
*  
  
When Harry opened his eyes, he was lying on a bed. His vision swam, and head spun mercilessly.  
  
"Oh...." he groaned softly, darkness creeping up on him. Harry shook himself awake, but his eyelids still drooped, and his body felt like lump of lead.  
  
He lay still for a moment, getting his bearings. He couldn't be in his bed, because there were no scarlet curtains. Instead, a white sheet was draped all around him, which meant he was probably in the Hospital Wing. Why though, he wasn't sure.  
  
Suddenly, the sheet rustled, and Madam Pomfrey appeared by his bed-side, looking down on him with concern.  
  
"Poor thing." she muttered, dissapearing from view as she bent over to retrieve something. Appearing again, she now held a large block of what could only be chocolate. She broke off a piece and shoved it in Harry's mouth.  
  
"How are you feeling dear?"  
  
"Fine." Harry croaked, trying to sit up, but was pushed back down forcefully.  
  
"You shall do no such thing." Madam Pomfrey tutted, breaking off another piece, waiting for him to swallow the first. "I don't know what Dumbledore was thinking, sending you into the Pensieve for such a long time. It can have deadly effects, I'm sure he knew that...." She continued to mutter under her breath, then shoved another block of chocolate into his mouth.  
  
"How long till I can get out of here?" Harry asked in a more steady voice, already the chocolate was begining to have effect.  
  
"Well." Madam Pomfrey murmured, pausing for a second, "Tonight is Christmas Eve, so if you be a good boy and go to sleep for a bit, you'll be moved back to your own bed for Christmas morning. Is that alright?"  
  
Harry nodded, sinking into the sheets. Sleep was the one thing he wanted, and needed. Closing his eyes, he let the darkness envelop him, falling into deep slumber.  
  
  
  
*  
  
Harry awoke screaming, clutching his scar, sweat pouring down his pale face. The dream had been the most horrible yet, and was still vivid in his mind when Ron came dashing over, his face almost as white as Harry's. They sat together for a while, and Harry did not let go of the scar. He was shaking so badly, and felt very sick, he just wanted to sit, nothing else.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Take your hand away from the scar."  
  
"Why?" What was Ron getting at?  
  
"Just do it Harry." Ron looked very frightened, and was staring, wide-eyed at the very spot where Harry's hand was.  
  
"Ok." Harry drew it away, and Ron made a sort of choking noise and backed away, getting off the end of the bed slowly.  
  
"What was your dream about?" He whispered, gaze locked with Harry's.  
  
"Ron, are you ok?"  
  
"Just tell me! Quit asking questions!"  
  
Harry flinched as Ron yelled at him, but began slowly to tell his dream anyway. His friend looked close to insanity, wringing his hands, and Harry wasn't sure what he would do if he didn't tell him.  
  
"Well, it was Voldemort again, but he was talking to me as if he knew I was there. He was saying something about, when my scar bleeds, one with the mark will be his. He kept chanting, like a poem or something like that. There were these ghosts too, a lot of them. They were flying around me and moaning stuff like: "You could've saved us!" "Because of you the Dark Lord will rise again!" "Curse you stupid boy, your ignorance will kill us all!" They had wands, and kept hitting me with the Crutacious Curse. The pain was so much, but I somehow was able to hear what Voldemort was saying."  
  
Ron looked even more frightened now, but managed to squeek: "Tell me the poem."  
  
Harry paused for a moment, trying to piece everything together, then continued, "Ok, it was strange, but I'll tell you anyway. He said: Avada Kedavra, Arvadek Adava, Two as one, one anthem be, Blood from the mark in secrecy. Take one spirit, then take seven, three loyal servants makes eleven. Eleven hours shall be left, before in darkness they shall lie within, one producer shall be the sign, of lives now lost for evil's sin......"  
  
"Harry." Ron whispered, "Your scar, your mark is bleeding." 


	8. AU: This is The End

A/N: Gee...this is what.like the third one of these authors notes I've done in the past month or so? Well, strip me down, nail me up and hang me on a cross because I deserve to be crucified right now. I'm being so HORRIBLE to all my readers out there. And to all of you who have read this fic, I've almost been the worst. You all made this story the second most reviewed fic on my list,(the most is for "To Sin is Human" my slash LoTR fic) and that is really special to me, since I get so few reviews for anything. But I have to say I'm eternally SORRY to you guys because I'm not continuing this fic. *sobs. I'M SOOOOOO SORRY!!!!!(. It's just that, other things have come up, and I've started other projects, and poor little Harry and Co. have been forgotten. I've lost all inspiration, and I don't want to continue. *sigh. Sorry. Don't feel like I'm singling you out though. I've got..well lets count em'..one.two...three. Three other fics that have been permanently halted. I've got an original project on the go, hopefully to be finished and published within the next year or so, and a LoTR original("Corruption), a companion piece to another LoTR fic called "Beneath the Depths of Shadow", which is going quite well too, and that's all I can afford. My attention can't be divided between three separate fics, and still be able to keep up the quality of work that you all deserve to read.  
  
So, I bid you a fond farewell, and again I say "I'm Sorry". Please forgive me.  
  
~Emjay P.S: If any of you have a particular interest in LoTR, PLEASE go read "From Beneath the Depths of Shadow" and it's sequel "Corruption.". Maybe you'll enjoy those just as much. *hopeful look. 


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